A Knock on the Door
by Yeah Her
Summary: Rewrite of original, same title. Possibly Cat/ Frank or Cat/J-F. Return of Pedro, opening of theatre, and discovery of an old secret... Rating will probably change at some point.
1. Chapter 1

**Basically, this is a rewrite of my original fic, A Knock on the Door. As I'm writing this, I have no idea if this has the same title or not. If it does, how lucky you are, for it will save confusion for previous readers. Just a note – there shall be no more A/Ns for a while because this is just a rewrite – words added here, bit added there etc. The rewrite is dedicated to all the people who reviewed, favourited or followed the original, and especially those who did all 3. Some days, I just wanted to give up on this, because I had so much going on at home and school. Then, I'd go to my mail box, and someone would have followed or favourited or reviewed the original, and that gave me the hope that, maybe, I could just keep writing. So far, it's worked. In some chapters, it will be split in 2 – Cat's P.O.V., which will be at the top, and a third person P.O.V. following one of my OC's at the bottom.**

* * *

**A Note to the Reader**

Reader, you are about to embark on a journey with me – though it is not my usual kind. It does not involve rebellious lords and a hunt for an imaginary diamond, running from the Runners and posing as a boy while trying to save my friend, visiting foreign countries as a ballerina, an actress, or a pirate, and most certainly not being press-ganged. It does, however involve the search for a family member – my father.

I have my half-brother, I know my cousins and uncle, my mother and aunt are dead, but I still hadn't figured out who my father was, and I knew very little about him. All I knew is that he was an actor, so I prayed my knowledge of the theatre would help.

Back then, little did I know, I would not be pulled into this adventure, and I would still not find what I was looking for. Instead, the adventure would come to me, and I would find something much more precious.

Do you want to follow me on this tale, no matter what the consequences? Then read on, my friends, and we will see where the story takes us.

Catherine 'Cat' Royal


	2. Chapter 2

**Prologue**

**The End of the Adventure**

After the events in Scotland, Bridgit was staying with Syd, but Rabbie and I were staying with the Avons. Bridgit's brothers had vanished and the new Drury Lane theatre was nearly ready. There was still some decorating to be done, but that wouldn't take long.

I had walked past the theatre, once. I hated the sight of it. Everything I had come to know, everything I had, torn down and rebuilt into some hideous, looming eyesore. It made me so incredibly sad that, now, I always went out of my way to avoid it. If anyone would pass by it, I would ask them to tell me if it was nearly finished. I suppose I still hoped that it would be finished soon, despite how much I detested it. The faster it was completed, the faster Mr Sheridan could make his money again. Even though he had dumped me on the street without a single penny to my name, telling me to make my own way as I should be doing at my age, even though everyone else had someone looking after them, I still cared for him. He had taken me in and raised me. He had given me my life. He had helped me so much that I knew I could never repay him.

I wasn't sure what to do then. There were no new adventures on the horizon, not that I could see. The theatre was gone, and I had no means of making money. I knew that the Avons were fine with us staying at their house, but it made me guilty. I needed to find a job.

Rabbie was settling in well. The Butcher's Boys had welcomed him and he was even getting boxing lessons from Syd. We were learning more about each other every day, and I truly thought of him as my little brother. I was sure he thought of me as his big sister. I didn't even feel jealous of him – yes, our mother had dumped me, but what was done was done and she probably would have found me again if she had lived. And besides, I've had a brilliant life thanks to her.

* * *

Things had changed, and scarily quickly. Miki had been keeping an eye on the girl for years – making sure she didn't dig too deep, stumble upon something that would probably be better off staying hidden. The problem was, the girl was naturally curious, a trait Miki admired greatly. However, precautions had been taken to stop her. Those precautions had failed. The girl had found one loophole, and that was it. She knew of her mother, and hence her father. The situation was irritating Miki. It reminded her of a ball of wool, rather aptly, being chased by a cat. The wool would keep unravelling, until it was too late, and everything would be out in the open.

Miki hated feeling this powerless. There were things she could do, but she had to take care of matters at home first, and so just had to sit tight and avoid messing up. Easier said than done, of course, but she wasn't going to let anything stop her. It was incredibly important that the girl didn't find out the truth, and for that to happen, the wool needed to stop unravelling. For that to happen, the cat needed to be scared away.

Miki grinned at herself in the mirror. It wouldn't be long now.


	3. Chapter 3

**Act I**

**Scene 1 – An Unexpected Arrival**

It had just been a normal, average, absurdly boring day when a rather brilliant thought struck me. I was getting my breakfast at the Avons' house, wondering when Rabbie was going to get up, when I realised that the puzzle of my parents was not yet complete. I knew what had happened to my mother, but knew little of my father. Of course, I automatically thought that I didn't stand a chance – finding my mother was nearly impossible and now I had nothing to go on.

Suddenly, I stood up and dropped my plate in the process. Thankfully, it fell with a muted thud on the table. I did know how to find my father! Mrs Moir had said he was an actor, and I was left on the doorstep of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. A coincidence? I doubted it. My mother, though she abandoned me, would never have left me with people she didn't know or trust. From what people had told me of her, I believed that much.

For once, I knew exactly what I had to do and I had a plan that could not possibly fail. All I had to do was find Mr Sheridan and ask him if he knew of any actors who were courting a young Scottish woman about fifteen years ago. It was a long shot, but if it worked, I would know who my father was. Even though this would take me to the place I hated most – the new theatre – I had to try. Just so I could know.

After a brief and vague explanation to the Duchess, I was about to leave when I wondered if I should bring Rabbie. After all, this did involve him, but only a little. Plus, my brother was hot-tempered. He could easily get us into trouble. After a short hesitation, I left without him, and headed for the theatre.

When I reached the theatre, I was shocked to see a massive banner hanging around the entrance. It read: 'See the Grand Re-opening of the Theatre Royal! Watch The Tempest, as Ariel performs Death-Defying Stunts!'

I could hardly believe my eyes, and if I had not so long ago noticed the near finishing of the theatre myself, I would have thought this to be a dream. But, as I knew this was not a dream, I ignored the tidal wave of feelings washing over me – anger, rejection, sadness and envy, to name a few – and stormed in right through the front doors. Of course, no one saw my grand entrance, because no one could be seen anywhere. There wasn't a soul on the stage, practising for the big night, nor a musician in the pit for the orchestra.

I didn't let this stop me though. I slammed through door after door, stomped along hallway after hallway. After a few minutes of this, I realised I was hopelessly lost, and that this was a bad idea. After all, why would Mr Sheridan be at the theatre? Why not at home? So, my problem now wasn't finding Mr Sheridan, it was more getting out of here. I hadn't seen a soul nor a sinner since I stepped foot in here, which was strange as there should be some form of security. Surely Mr Sheridan wouldn't want drunkards coming in and wrecking the place!

Pushing open yet another door, I found myself facing a sign which pointed out the direction of the stage. Rushing through the back stage area, I found myself in the wings, sprinting for the stage, a strange pull pushing me to go faster, as if something I needed was onstage. When, after what seemed like an eternity but must have been seconds, I was on the stage, I smacked straight into the thing I expected least. Or should I say, person.

"Hello, Cat," he grinned. "Missed me?"

* * *

The girl had been at the theatre. Things were moving much faster than Miki planned. The girl wasn't supposed to attempt anything for another month, giving Miki the time she needed to tie up any loose ends before moving to London. But no, the girl had to make her rush. Still, it wouldn't be hard to fix – all she had to do was work harder. If necessary, she could get someone else to do her work for her, either here or in London.

Still, she was angry. How inconsiderate could the girl be? Didn't she spare a though for the people who wanted to keep her safe? Miki faltered slightly, but her anger blazed on, only to be extinguished by a wave of calm. Of course, the girl was being reasonable. She had no idea Miki existed, and so spared no thought towards her. That was just the way life was.

Miki felt a hand on her shoulder, and glanced up, into the eyes of her greatest friend. She was momentarily distracted by his hair, which she was about to point out was on fire, but swiftly realised it was just because he was standing under a candle and his ginger hair was catching the light.

"Are you alright?" he whispered, eyes wide with concern.

"Hm? Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be, Robbie!" she laughed.

Robbie wasn't convinced. "You've been standing there, staring at that letter like it's the devil incarnate, for about ten minutes now. It's one page. You should have finished with it ages ago."

Miki sighed. "Remember what I told you, about the girl in London?" Robbie nodded. "Well, it appears she's faster than I took her for. She's already doing things she shouldn't have thought of until next month."

"So? We'll just go to London and sort her out."

"It's not as easy as that. I don't want her knowing about me. And besides, Adam would never let us go."

"So what? Since when has he controlled everything we do?"

Miki smirked. "Well, you know what to do."

"Pack my bag and meet you here at three in the morning?" he groaned. He hated mornings. Miki made it worse. She was always to chirpy and happy, even in the pitch black.

"Exactly."


	4. Chapter 4

**Act I**

**Scene 2 – An Old Friend**

"Pedro!" I squealed, before promptly falling over. Pedro, in his natural state of helpfulness, stood there while I picked myself up.

"Well?" he appeared to be asking an unspoken question.

"Well what?"

"Did you miss me?"

"Of course I did, you idiot! How could I not? But aren't you still supposed to be in San Domingo?"

"Toussaint said I could come home for a short while. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

He raised an eyebrow and just looked at me. Of course. Because I'm Cat Royal, the girl who (among my friends) famously (or infamously, depending on your point of view) can't keep out of trouble.

"When did you get here?"

"A few hours ago. I went to see Syd straight away, but he said you were up at Frank's house, but when I got there the Duchess said you were at the theatre. So basically, I've been sprinting all over London, trying to find my little sister."

I grabbed him and hugged him. I couldn't believe it! Pedro was back! No matter how little time we had, I knew we would make the most of it.

"So has Syd mentioned any of my latest adventures?"

"What adventures?"

"Well, it's more two big adventures, but it's a short one and an incredibly long one. I think we should go back to Grosvenor Square. I can tell you more there."

"Hold on. What are you doing here anyway?"

In the excitement of seeing Pedro again, I had forgotten about my little question. "Oh, I just wanted to ask Mr Sheridan something."

"What did you want to ask him?"

"I'll tell you when we get back to Grosvenor Square."

Once back at Grosvenor Square, I made a quick introduction between Rabbie and Pedro, before filling Pedro in with the details of my adventures. Uncharacteristically, he just sat there. He didn't once interrupt me. That was how I knew something was wrong. "What is it?" I asked.

"What's what?" he replied, in that nonchalant manner of his.

"Don't play that game with me. Just answer the question. What is it?"

"Well, you say the Boil has left you well alone since you got back from Scotland. I don't like the sound of that. You know the way he is, Cat – he waits and lets you think your safe, and then he strikes. Usually, the longer he waits, the worse it is. You've been back for a few months now – which means something terrible is probably about to happen."

I had to admit, I had had suspicions like that for a while now, but was hoping I was just being paranoid. Now that Pedro had voiced the same fears – Pedro, who was usually so controlled – I felt worse. "Do you really have to say that out loud? Knowing my luck, he'll call in all his favours tomorrow and I'll end up doing the nipping jig by the end of the week."

Pedro rolled his eyes. "You'll be fine. You're Cat. By the sounds of it, you've still got a couple of lives left. And besides, you have us looking after you."

"Us?"

"Yeah. Me (I chuckled at this, and Pedro glared at me. Whoops.), Syd, the Butcher's Boys, Frank and his family, and I'm sure Mr Sheridan would help you. By the way, what was it you wanted to ask him?"

"I wanted to ask if he had any idea who my father might be, but I'm going to have to find him some other time. The theatre was empty."

* * *

That night (or that morning, depending on your point of view), Miki and Robbie met in the grand foyer of their headquarters. Both were carrying as little as possible – just weapons and the few items they cherished. Anything they could easily get a hold of, by buying them or otherwise, was left behind. No food, no clothes. Miki had her sword, her necklace and her old belt. Robbie had his gun and a few letters. The weapons were well concealed, so they were confident nobody would stop to wonder what they were doing.

Sharing a nod, they quietly crept out the doors. The guard dogs were no problem – Miki had trained them herself. They walked alongside her, silent as the night, until Miki and Robbie started climbing up the stairs that led to the city level. At this point, the dogs simply stared at the duo, and Miki could almost hear their thoughts – the more optimistic dogs would surely be thinking 'God speed' but the less optimistic ones? They were probably thinking something along the lines of 'May the Lord save you'. They were right. The duo was headed into dangerous territory. Unknown territory. The worst kind of territory.

Once they had climbed the stairs, they swiftly made their way across the rooftops towards the docks, where a small ship was due to set sail, heading for England. The captain was a kind man, who looked upon Miki as his own daughter, thanks to a previous misadventure. He would deliver them safely to England, and keep his mouth shut about it too.

Once aboard the boat, on the incredibly choppy waters, the duo stopped and planned ahead. Once they arrived in England, Miki knew a man who would get them a carriage into London. Failing that, they would go by rooftop. The planning stopped there, because they had no idea what would happen after that. This whole idea was completely hit-and-miss.

A few days later, Robbie was sleeping in the carriage, and Miki was keeping watch. It was early morning, and she predicted they would be at their destination in a few minutes, but she wanted to let Robbie sleep as long as possible. He deserved it. After all, he had wandered off into insane circumstances just to help her out. That was one of the many reasons why they were such great friends.

The carriage lurched to a stop. Miki attempted to shake Robbie awake, but found it impossible. Instead, she rolled him out of the carriage. He landed in an unruly heap on the road. Fortunately, as it was incredibly early, there was no traffic. If there had been, he could've been killed, but even worse, if someone noticed, it would take her forever to dispose of the 'evidence'. Robbie stood up and glared at her, but Miki turned to the building, and pulled a pair of black gloves on.

"Let's take care of business, shall we?" She started walking, slowly, towards the door of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

Slamming the front door of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and striding confidently through every room and door, one would have thought it strange that a random girl, who had never even seen the plans for the new theatre, knew exactly where she was going, while another girl who was the first person who wasn't involved in the new theatre to see the plans and who had previously lived in the old theatre got incredibly lost. They, however, would be wrong. Yes, Cat did get badly lost, and yes, Miki does know where she is going, even without a map, but Miki is not just some 'random girl'. She has one of the greatest powers on earth. The power of…

Common sense.

She knows, for example, when she is in the wings of the theatre, because it is littered with new props and there is a clear view of the stage. She also knows when she is in Mr Sheridan's new office because she thumps the table and he jolts awake, before nearly falling out of his chair.

Common sense is amazing, isn't it?

"Sheridan," the girl greets him in as menacing a tone as she can muster. Suffice to say, it's rather intimidating. Robbie stands behind her, arms crossed, blocking the door, so no one can get in, and no one gets out.

"Miss Cain-Esquire," Mr Sheridan gulped.

"Please, call me Mikaela. I understand you took in a young girl about thirteen years ago, before kicking her out onto the street without a penny to her name and without anyone to look after her?"

Mr Sheridan nodded. It hurt to remember what he had done to Cat. It was only after she had been saved from Tweadle that he realised the full extent of the incident and the fact that it was all his fault. Well, mostly. Cat had to take some of the blame for falling into Tweadle's hands, after all.

"Well, soon enough she's going to come back here, looking for answers about her father. She must be told nothing. Not his name, not even how he looks. And most importantly, Robbie and I – we were never here. Understood?"

Mr Sheridan nodded again, so Miki turned on her heel and left, Robbie following close behind.


	5. Chapter 5

**Act I**

**Scene 3 – An Unwanted Meeting**

Ever since Pedro got back, I had been in a good mood. What had previously seemed dull and boring had now become brilliant and sparkling. Nothing seemed to be getting me down – not how strange Frank was acting, not how often my attempts to talk to Mr Sheridan had gone wrong (I had tried a few times, but he was nowhere to be found) and most certainly not how little time Pedro and I had together. He had gotten on very well with my brother – Rabbie quickly realised just how clever he was, and because I was Rabbie's sister and like a sister to Pedro, they had become firm friends, bonding over my temper and 'stupidity'. Of course, that kind of blissful ignorance doesn't last long, as I realised when I saw someone in the street I knew very well…

I had been wandering towards Syd's butcher's shop, feeling the rare warmth across my face and marvelling at the vibrant flowers that were being sold in stalls, when I glimpsed a familiar head of black hair. Billy. Quickly ducking round a corner, I pushed myself tight against the wall. I hadn't seen him since we arrived home from the Americas, and I was eager to not meet with him again. I was still unsure of the misplaced affection he felt towards me. I may have swayed it during my irritating and unladylike behaviour on our return home, but how far? Was I completely cured of him, and he would leave me alone for good? Or was he just unaware of my presence in Covent Garden, and still believed me to be gallivanting off in Scotland, as I'm sure he would have found out about? After a few minutes, as I had not seen him pass, I risked a glance around the wall. I couldn't see him anywhere. After another minute, I let go of a breath I hadn't realised I had been holding, and stepped out from behind the wall, before promptly walking into Billy.

"'Ello, Kitten. Lovely to see you again," he said in a strangely bright voice.

"Billy," I murmured, looking for any of Syd's boys. This was exactly what I wanted least – backed into an alley by the Boil, with no one to help. I can take care of myself, reader, but it would do well if he could simply be scared off.

"I 'eard Blackie's back. Missed 'im, 'aven't you?"

I bristled at his rather offensive nickname for Pedro. "Yes, indeed I have. Now, if you would be so polite as to excuse me, I have business to take care of," I hissed sarcastically as I sidestepped him and tried to get past, but he grabbed my shoulder.

"Ah, ah, ah, Kitten, we're not finished yet –"

"Don't call me Kitten. And yes, we are," I spat, seeing Nick at the street corner and waving at him. He walked over immediately, eyeing Billy warily.

"Shepherd. Cat needs to come with me. Syd's looking for her," he grabbed me by the wrist and sprinted away, trailing me along.

"What does Syd need to see me for?" I panted, finding it incredibly hard to breathe. I hadn't realised Nick was so fast.

"He doesn't. It just seemed like the easiest way to get you out of there," he smiled, and I couldn't help but smile back.

Minutes later, I was standing outside the butcher's shop. I wanted to ask Syd if he knew where to find Mr Sheridan, but the shop was closed. Circling round the house, I tried the back door, but it was locked. Gazing through the windows, I saw only pitch black. It was strange that no one was home, but I shrugged it off, and went back up to the Avon's house. My good mood at the start of the day had suddenly plummeted.

* * *

That night, after dealing with Sheridan, Miki and Robbie slipped into the London headquarters. Miki presented a forged letter to the head, claiming that they were there on important business, sent by Adam, one of the highest gang leaders. They had been let in without a single complaint.

In a massive coincidence, the pair found that there was a safe house in Grosvenor Square, opposite the Avons' manor. They claimed this was where they needed to go for their important business, and were soon enough on the roof of the old house. They watched the building opposite carefully, though it was nearing midnight. They stayed like that for hours, just watching and waiting, until finally, about an hour after dawn broke, a young redhead walked out the door. Jumping off the roof and landing flawlessly, Miki and Robbie set off at a discreet distance, following the girl.

After a few minutes, the girl ducked behind a wall. Miki and Robbie kept walking. They couldn't get caught out now. They stopped a few yards down the street, curiously gazing around, searching for what had startled the girl and caused her to hide. Miki's eyes passed over a cheese stall, and made a mental note to buy some later. Next, there were a few flowers stalls, but nothing she would buy – just roses, which she found to be delightfully boring, pansies and tulips. However, she quickly realised she was wrong, when she noticed a stall selling daisies. She nudged Robbie and told him to keep an eye out, before allowing herself to be carried along in the crowd until she reached the stall. Seconds before she found her money and bought something, that familiar head of red hair caught her eye. She was talking to a rather hideous man, and appeared to be rather angry. Suddenly, she waved at a young man, who walked over, said something to the other man, grabbed the girl and sprinted as if the devil himself was chasing him.

Miki forced her way back through the crowd towards Robbie, and they proceeded to dander along in the same direction as the girl and her friend. Though they were slower, they still found the girl – she was standing outside the empty butcher's shop. She turned and walked right past them. Miki was certain she hadn't even seen them, as her eyes had a glazed over look about them, the kind you get when you're thinking about something and everything else you do is just a reaction. The girl appeared to be heading back to Grosvenor Square, so the pair let her go. Exchanging a glance, Miki set off, Robbie following close behind.

It was time.

* * *

**Well, that's the rewrite. I know I left out loads of chappies (about 3000 words, actually) BUT it means I have more ideas! As always, please, review.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey! So, that was the rewrite! And thank you to the only reviewer… ThePokemonAuthor! Who, BTW has a new oneshot AND a new fic, which you should totally check out, because I'm betaing the fic, and our previous collaboration (Yup. Big words) turned out splendidly (lol) with a brilliant cardboard cut-out. OK, I'm talking like a posh person. On with the fic! BTW, I'm incredibly sorry for how Cat acts in this chapter. When I attempted to make her sound normal, she sounded too common (we all know how well educated she is), and when I tried to make her sound a smidge more posh, she became… Well, read on to see how she narrates…**

* * *

**Act II**

**Scene 1 – An Upsetting Occurrence**

While returning to Grosvenor Square, I pondered what had happened to Syd, his father, his mother and Bridgit. There was _always _someone manning the shop, and Bridgit mostly stayed indoors. The animosity towards the Irish hadn't died down yet. Also, surely Syd and his father wouldn't have left the shop and their home unattended. Billy would probably attack and burn it just to get revenge on Syd for… Well, everything, really.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't notice a cat lying in my path until I tripped over it and fell flat on my face. After gathering myself up and brushing my emerald dress down, I got a good look at the cat, and immediately wished I hadn't. It was a tortoiseshell, as far as I could tell. It was covered in blood, and its ribs could clearly be seen. One ear was torn off, and one of the eyes was white. The other was a stunning chocolate colour, which I had never before seen in a cat. Most of the fur was missing from the tail. This cat had obviously been through the wars. It regarded me warily with its one good eye, but didn't put up a struggle when I lifted its limp body. I was stunned by how light it was. It must have been absolutely starving. I made up my mind to bring it to the Avons' with me. After all, the Duke and Duchess were very kind people, and I was sure they wouldn't mind.

I carried the cat up to Grosvenor Square awkwardly, holding it like a small baby. It left large blood stains on my dress, but I was certain that the stains could be washed out easily. The cat didn't make a single noise, probably because it was so weak. As I held it, its breathing slowed down and become very shallow. In one of my very many unladylike moments, I sprinted as fast as I could, barging into people and received cuffs to the back for my head for my trouble. I prayed Billy would not take this inopportune moment to attempt to speak to me again – I simply didn't have the time.

After what seemed like an era, but logic dictates could not have been more than a few minutes, I stumbled up to the doors of the Avons' house and hammered on the doors. Joseph opened them for me, and I collapsed into a heap on the floor, exhausted and out of breath.

"Miss Royal!" he cried, and helped me up. I showed him the cat.

"What… do we… do?" I panted, wasting precious seconds.

He lifted the cat from my arms and gave it a good onceover, while I tried to hide the bloodstains from any maids. They didn't need to know until the dress was getting washed. "There is little we can do, unfortunately. I will find a basket for her and try to get her cleaned up, but I don't know if she will survive, or even make it through the night."

"It's a girl?" I asked.

"Indeed," Joseph replied kindly, before slipping out through a door. This startled me even more. A poor little cat, a female, at that, just abandoned? I didn't know why this hurt more than if the cat had been a boy. Maybe because girls are always thought of as the weaker sex? I hurried up to my room and quickly changed into another dress, before calling for the maid to take the dirty one away to be washed. The new dress was a fiery red that matched my hair, and was very simple, stopping just above the ground. When the maid left, I flopped on to my bed, stared at the ceiling and sighed. I hoped the little cat would pull through. I felt so sad for it – it was so small, in so much pain – and I actually did feel like crying, even though I never do.

There was a gentle tap on the door. I yelled for the person to come in. Joseph carefully pushed the door open, and stepped into the room, carrying a small basket. "Where do you want me to leave her?"

"Put her over there," I answered, pointing towards my bedside table.

Joseph set her down softly, and left the room. Moments before the door closed, I called out to him. "Wait!" he stopped, and turned to look at me. "Thank you, Joseph."

"You're very welcome, Miss Royal."

* * *

**Yeah, I know, that was terrible. And I'm starting to give up on this. I'm thinking of maybe leaving it so someone else can carry on, and marking my other two fics down as oneshots. It's the reviews that force me to get up and do more, but seeing as there's only 3, all from the same person (thanks, dahling) then... Well, is there anyone who would like to take over, from a different fic? I kinda don't want to leave you all hanging. If no one takes over, then I'll finish this, but that'll be it.**


	7. Chapter 7

**So. Forgot to mention last time, my dog has just celebrated her 1st birthday and passed her bronze good citizen test. I'm incredibly proud of her.**

**Anyway, chances are this is the end. I really can't be bothered working on this anymore. I'm sorry, and I feel really bad about it because people have done that before, but at least I'm giving you notice. I have a lot to deal with at home and ideas are hard to come by. ThePokemonAuthor has been incredibly sweet and helped with all the ideas in the last chapter, but this just isn't fun for me. If someone wants to continue this on from a different fic, feel free. If anyone wants to know how this was going to end, I might tell you in a few years. I'm probably going to mark my other fics as complete, and resign myself to a life of reading and beta reading, and dandering around on the forums occasionally. But hey, maybe I'll carry on. We'll see.**

**Big thanks to everyone who reviewed the last fic, but especially:**

**ThePokemonAuthor and radioactive cat, for following and favouriting this fic and me**

**Maudie Stirling, for favouriting and following me**

**Ali, for her constant reviewing on the original**

**And finally my biffle Katie, who kept me insane through school, and even though I haven't seen her in nearly a month, I still love to pieces.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay, it's official. Thanks to radioactivecat, Maudie Stirling and Ali, I've decided I might as well carry on. But, out of curiosity, which of my chapters do you think was the best? I'm trying to figure out when I write the best, and I have a general idea of the situation I was in when writing most of my chapters. So please, leave a review about what you think my best chapter was. Please?**

**Ali do you think I should carry on 'Telling Col'? I don't know whether to leave it as a one-shot or not. And yes, your reviewing helped me very, VERY much (:**

**Oh, and don't expect regular updates. It'll be sketchy at best, probably.**


	9. Chapter 9

**So. Right now, I'm practically unconscious. I'm surviving on 10 minutes of sleep. Don't judge me. I just found this epic trilogy (see end A/N) and I read the first one, and finished at about 1 am this morning. After faffing around and being an idiot for a couple of hours, I decided to start reading the next one at about 3am. But, well, I'm freaky superstitious. And easily scared. And a large portion of this book was spent on the girl's supposedly dead ex-boyfriend's disturbing exploits, like mutilating cats and leaving them outside her door, and writing things in blood on her mirror. Not to mention how much that girl hallucinated. So I'm sitting up at 3:30am like 'I'm so not gonna sleep now, because the second I get into bed and fall asleep some creepy guy will come in and start taking pictures of me so he can get some other creepy girl to scratch the eyes outta them and give the photo to me', so I didn't. I stayed up the whole night, reading, and I was hyper for about half an hour this morning, before falling asleep for 10 minutes. In fact, I don't even think I fell asleep. I seriously doubt it. Anyway, massive author's note, so I'll try to fluff this out to make up for it.**

* * *

**Act II**

**Scene 2 – The Perfect Name**

* * *

The cat curled into my arm. She didn't look healthy. She was clean, thanks to a quick bath I had given her, in which I received an incredible amount of scratches, but she was still scarily thin. She wouldn't touch any food, and I had yet to introduce her to the Duke and Duchess. Right now, I was considering possible names for her. In a brief moment of inspiration, I was reminded of my acting stint in Jamaica. And the name just rolled off my tongue.

"Rosalind."

As I said it, the cat's ears perked up a little, and her head swivelled to fix me with a curious gaze. "Rosalind," I repeated, and the cat meowed. I allowed myself a smile. Rosalind. Quite fitting, in a strange way. When I first found her, she was covered in dirt and grime, and would have had most turn their noses up at her. Now, I realised she was actually a very pretty little cat, if you excused the blind eye and missing ear. I sighed, and lifted the cat, ensuring she was comfortable. It was now or never. I was confident the Duke and Duchess were still at home, so I strode into the dining room with Rosalind hidden in my arms. I carefully pushed open the door, and was both relieved and disappointed that the Duke and Duchess were both there. It was good to be getting it over with, but I hadn't had very much time to prepare.

I stopped in front of the Duke and Duchess, and before they could say a word, explained how I found the cat in a state on the street and with Joseph's help had gotten her cleaned up and slightly less unhealthy. I waited for them to say something once I had finished explaining.

"What's her name?" the Duchess asked.

"Rosalind," I answered quickly, and the cat meowed once again. I quickly stroked her ears.

"She truly is a delightful little animal. Can I hold her?"

I passed Rosalind to the Duchess, and hoped she wouldn't suddenly do anything idiotic. She had behaved well so far, and I didn't want anything to be ruined.

The Duchess turned to the Duke and looked at him with wide eyes. He sighed, before saying, "Yes, you can keep her."

The Duchess passed Rosalind to me and winked. I smiled my thanks, and turned back towards the doors. I was going to try and convince Rosalind to eat.

* * *

Excellent. The girl found the cat. She called it Rosalind. That truly was brilliant. It would keep her distracted for a few more days at least. Meanwhile, Miki was tending to… 'business'. Unfortunately, for your own safety, what she actually did during these few days has been classified. I cannot even tell you what job she does, for there is no word for what she is in English, and no translation for what she is in her homeland. However, it is a very strange job. When her fellow gang members ask, she tells them she does 'odd jobs'. That is as close as this narrator is willing to go.

Miki's dilemma over the girl has not ceased, however. She still worries. Miki has never left any clues behind – everything is tied off neatly. But who's to say she hasn't made a mistake, one she didn't notice? There is no way for her to tell. She just has to sit and wait, and watch. And hope and pray that she hasn't forgotten something, no matter how much that voice in the back of her head tells her she has.

However, Robbie was enjoying a much more free life. He had no worries for now, except for Miki. And she would never let him fuss about her, never let him care, so he needn't do anything about that. For now, he was determined to enjoy the city life, and try to ignore the shadows under Miki's eyes, destroying her youthfulness. If he could do that, he would finally be master of his affairs. Unfortunately, with every day that passed, every moment Miki spent looking sad, he found it harder to stick to the plan, until one day, he decided he was going to do something drastic. They had already agreed it was time. At first, the cat, which had been randomly found on the street, was their main means of interference. Now, they needed something bigger. Better. And much as he hated to admit it, he was forced to realise that it was time to call upon one of the most infamous of Miki's 'associates'.

* * *

**Yeah, terrible, I know, sue me.**

**Queen Megan of Norway, some day.**

**Xxx**

**P.S. There's this series I'm reading at the minute – the Mara Dyer trilogy. Only the first two books are out, but the third is out on 0ctober 22****nd****, 2013. I recommend you get them ASAP and read them. It's YA (you know, that teenagerish stuff) and it's kinda creepy in some places, but brilliant otherwise. If you aren't a fan of books where people have superpowers (trust me, it's not that cliché) then ignore this. But the books are flaming amazing, and I want a movie made out of them. So rally together, my 6 visitors! I WANT THAT MOVIE! I'll put a basic summary up on my profile soon (:**


	10. Chapter 10

**So, folks, this is a rewrite of the scene in the original where Miki and the random guy who I don't think had a name meet up to discuss whatever it was. Seriously need ideas. Also, there's an A/N at the bottom I really want you to read. Please. It would mean a lot to me. BTW, this is all third person following an OC POV. I've abandoned Cat for now. Also, a big shout out to Maudie Stirling, who is a brilliant writer who unfortunately does not receive the praise she is due, and who read through this before it was posted for me. Should I stop doing these A/Ns?**

* * *

**Act II**

**Scene 3 – A Moonlit Meeting**

* * *

Robbie paced along the floor. The squeaky floorboards stayed silent, and Miki grew more fed up with every passing second.

"This isn't a good idea. He'll do some-"

"Robbie!" Miki snapped. She rarely got this angry at him, but recently he had been acting like she was still the fourteen year old she had been when they first met. In fact, he wasn't acting like that. Even back then, she had survived on the streets, with no weapons, aside from her instinct. It was what kept her alive. He was treating her like a fragile china ornament, which could break at a single touch. Like she couldn't look after herself, even though that was exactly what she had done for years before him. "I've done deals with him before. I wouldn't trust him with my life, but he can be trusted with this."

"But there's a price on your head, Miki! You just said he can't be trusted with your life. What if he has the runners with him? They'll go after you."

"Then I'll run faster."

"What if it comes to a fight?"

"I'll fight harder."

"What if he kills you?"

"Then I'll haunt him from beyond the grave."

Robbie glared at her, and she let loose the laughter she had barely been supressing.

"Seriously, Robbie? You know how well I can fight. Besides, I'm wanted alive, so people can have the pleasure of seeing me hang. He won't kill me, and I won't get caught. You worry too much."

"I'm not happy with this Mik-"

"Oh, would you look at that, it's nearly time for the meeting."

Robbie gave her a strange look, as if she'd gone insane. Unfortunately, she went insane a long time ago. "I thought you were meeting him at midnight?"

"I am."

"But it's eleven."

"I know."

"You have another whole hour."

"Well done, genius. I seriously had no idea," Miki said, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"Why are you leaving so early?"

"Can't hurt to be punctual, can it?"

"That would require being on time. You'll be ridiculously early."

"As I'm ridiculous myself, I think it fits, no?"

"You're insane."

"Really? Am I?"

"You're just doing this to irritate me, aren't you?"

"Very much so."

"You're mean."

"Don't act like you don't love it."

"I hate you."

"Aw, and I love you too."

The narrator has decided to cut this short, as time is ticking on and the banter continues on much the same. Let's go forward a bit.

At three minutes to midnight, Miki left the house, leaving Robbie with a pounding head ache and a death wish. As she walked along the streets, she took it in her stride that they were nearly empty. It wasn't normal, but Miki doesn't exactly believe in normality. On either side of her, buildings rise up, towering over her, casting grim shadows along the dirty streets. She hears the sound of a dog barking, and then whining in pain. She stops to check the time. Two minutes to go. She swears that after she's finished her business, she will go and find the dog, and help it. She can't stand animals being in pain.

She arrives at the side of the theatre just as it turns midnight. Her associate, a tall, thin man, is already there, and glares at her.

"You're late." He has a gruff voice, thick with sleep. Miki swears by the idea that he is a vampire. They only meet at night, he's extremely pale, and she's never seen him anywhere near a church. Classic vampire material.

"I'm not. I'm right on time."

"It's past midnight."

"I got here at midnight."

"Don't irritate me. You need my help."

"I don't _need _your help. I _want _your help. It makes my life easier. I can do without it."

"Really?"

"Indeed."

"So, if I were to turn around and walk away from this right now, you wouldn't chase after me? Beg me to help you?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

Miki rolled her eyes. The answer seemed glaringly obvious to her. "I don't beg for anything, and I could understand you walking away. Let's face it, you aren't getting paid and I'm not exactly the easiest person to work with, am I? But then again, you aren't going to walk away."

"Oh? How would you know?"

"It's pretty obvious. Just look at you! All the signs point to you wanting to work with me."

"And why would I want to do that?"

Miki shrugged. "How the blazes am I supposed to know? I'm not a psychic. I can just read you like a book."

"I have things to do, so what do you want?"

Miki dug into her pocket, and pulled out a folded letter. "Everything's explained in here. Just don't hurt her, okay?"

"And what if I do?"

Moving so fast that he didn't see it coming, Miki grabs his throat and slams him against the wall so he can't breathe. All he can focus on is the pain building in his lungs as he kicks and struggles. Faintly, he sees Miki's face a mere inch from his, hears her snarl of a threat.

"You touch her, and I will destroy everything you love."

* * *

**So, I have something important to say. I just realised something a few months ago, and it's taken time to put my whole life into perspective afterwards.**

**A few months ago, I went to Newcastle with my aunt and uncle. My aunt and I hit the shops while my uncle took their dog for a walk. Later on, he told us a girl had been climbing the Mourne Mountains with her boyfriend and another couple. The details were sketchy, but she had either fallen and died, or went swimming in the river and drowned. About an hour later, I looked around. There was no ambulance – it was long gone, along with the police cars – and everything seemed normal. And then it struck me. No one cared. No one cared that less than a couple of hours ago, a girl – in her late teens, early twenties – had died. Just think about it. That morning, she might have said bye to her parents, and they told her to have a lovely time, not realising that when they next saw her, she'd be on a slab in the morgue, stone cold. Maybe her boyfriend was going to propose to her when they reached the top. Maybe she was going to tell him she loved him. And no one cared. Everyone carried on as normal. Think about it. Really puts your life into perspective, doesn't it?**


	11. Chapter 11

**You evil people broke my face. I can't stop smiling. 4 new reviews? *SQUEE* But the weird thing is 3 of those reviews were within 20 minutes of each other…**

**So… Problem. Do you want me to rush the plot, or leave this on a cliffhanger and write a novella afterwards? If it's the novella option, there's two MORE options: the cliff hanger – Cat wakes up in a dark room with no recollection of how she got there (gives me more time to work on the OCs because of comments about them) OR a shocking confession from Miki when she meets Cat properly (makes the novella shorter)?**

** Ashura Satoshi – School? Ha. American system sucks. I'm not in school until the 30****th**** :P How's the writing going? We haven't talked in ages…**

** Janie - Takket være (Thanks, for those of you non-Bokmal learning readers)! Thank Ashura ^ for the cat thing – he gave me the idea. **

** Isla – Thanks darling! Methinks I'm getting mixed reactions from everyone about the OCs, though…**

** Abbie – Yes, I am going to keep writing #untilIgetbored (sorry, love doing that) and thanks. However, Robbie isn't really anyone… Miki has a shocking connection to our lovable heroine (I've said too much) but Robbie is just Miki's biffle who happens to be involved in some very illegal business…**

**På med ikken! (On with the fic!)**

* * *

**Act III**

**Scene 1 – The Sense of Loss**

* * *

Syd wasn't there. Again. I had been down to the butcher's four times in the past week to ask about Mr Sheridan, and it was always empty. I was Syd's best friend, so surely he would have told me if he was moving? And Frank and Rabbie didn't know anything either, even though they were in the gang. With a heavy heart, I set off to Frank's house, but decided to make a slight detour to go to the theatre. After all, the grand opening was only a few days away, so maybe Mr Sheridan would be there?

People were crowded in the streets leading to the theatre, and I could hear snippets of conversations.

"Opening… Theatre… You going?"

"Sheridan… Poor lass…"

"Ariel's missing… New…"

Listening to these conversations – accidentally, of course, dear reader, as I would never do something as audacious as eavesdropping on purpose – I felt extremely confused. The first one was easy – a woman asking another woman if she was going to the Grand Opening of the new theatre. The next one probably had something to do with me – after all I was infamous as the cat of Drury Lane. But the one about Ariel frightened me a little. I hadn't seen Pedro in a good week or so – I had been so caught up with Syd going missing and finding Rosalind that I hadn't spared him a thought, I instantly felt bad, but hearing another conversation between two men stopped me in my tracks.

"I 'eard 'e fled after 'is master came lookin' for 'im."

"Nah, I 'eard a rival company kidnapped 'im, and they're 'oldin' 'im ransom 'til Sheridan pays up."

"Do you think 'e will?"

The second man uttered a cold, bitter laugh. "Sheridan? 'Is purse strings're so tight, you'd need pliers to open 'em! 'E'll let them 'ave the kid – wi' all that scandal, 'e's practically worthless! Black lads're two a penny round 'ere. It won't be 'ard to find another one."

Hearing them made my blood run cold. Pedro was missing? How could I not have heard? Pedro was in the gang, so Frank and Rabbie could have told me! Wait a minute… Frank and Rabbie were in Syd's gang with Pedro… If anything had happened, they would have known, but they didn't tell me. I felt anger rushing through me. How dare they! I deserved to know what had happened to my two best friends! Not to mention Bridget and Mr and Mrs Fletcher.

I decided that as soon as I had tried looking for Mr Sheridan, I would go to Grosvenor Square and demand answers. The closer I got to the theatre, however, the tighter the streets were packed until I was fighting my way through, and all the conversations turned to an incessant buzz around me. I pushed as hard as I could, and being as small as I am, could squeeze through the tiniest of spaces. I finally pushed out, gasping for air, and landed on a heap on the new theatre's doorstep. Pulling myself up and dusting myself off, I gazed up at the theatre's banner, which had now changed. Instead of saying 'See the Grand Re-opening of the Theatre Royal! Watch The Tempest, as Ariel performs Death-Defying Stunts!' it read 'Come Tonight and Watch the New Ariel as he Fights to Prove Himself as the Best Yet! Will he Succeed, or will he Always Walk in Pedro Amakye's Shadow?'

The theatre was re-opening. Tonight. Suddenly, I felt a sense of loss crashing into me. I had always had a hope in the back of my mind that Mr Sheridan wanted me back, and would hire when he re-opened, but now I saw that was not the case. I felt hot tears sliding down my face as my throat tightened and my hands started to shake uncontrollably, so I turned on my heel and forced my way back through the staring crowd. I would be damned if I ever let Mr Sheridan see me in this state, especially as he had caused it.

* * *

Miki held the wounded dog on her lap. She felt the blood trickling down her face, and she wanted to be sick. How could anyone do this to a dog? How could anyone be so evil as to hurt such a poor, defenceless, loyal creature? She wished she had never come out of hiding, then she would never have seen this evil. In the back of her mind, she knew she didn't mean that. If she hadn't have heard the dog, she wouldn't have helped it, and no one would have known about it. At least now the dog had justice, as she had taken it upon herself to teach the owner a lesson.

The door opened and softly shut again. Miki was aware of Robbie standing in front of her, even without opening her eyes. She felt thumbs lightly brush against her cheeks, wiping the blood away. He held her face in his hands.

"Why are you crying?"

Miki tilted her head down towards the dog, and felt the bed bounce slightly as Robbie lowered himself down beside her and placed one arm around her shoulders, holding her close while she cried silently. Even though he was her greatest friend, he had seen her in this state only once before, but he still knew how to comfort her until she felt better. He clearly remembered the only other time he had seen her like this – he had been on a mission, and word had been sent back to headquarters that he was dead, so that when he arrived back home, his funeral had already been held. It was a surreal sight – seeing an invitation to your own funeral – but it was made worse by the fact that when he went to see Miki, she was curled up on her bed, weeping silently and praying for his soul.

While he reminisced, Miki calmed down to the point where she could talk. "I couldn't save him, Robbie. He was too beaten up and-" Miki cut herself off with a choke, her throat closing in on itself. Robbie gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"It's fine, love. No one could have helped him. It's enough that you made sure that in his last few moments, he felt he was loved."

"It's so unfair! What did he do? Nothing. He did nothing wrong. He just tried to be the best companion he could, and in return his owner beat him to death. Why are there so many evil people in this world?"

"You and I both know that no one knows the answer to that. But people like us fight tooth and nail to stop them, and that's the best we can do."

"We should fight harder. If I had went to find him when I first heard him, instead of meeting my little associate, I could have stopped his owner. I could have saved him, but I didn't. What kind of monster does that make me?"

"That doesn't make you a monster, Miki. That makes you a kind and caring person. You decided that you would meet with a man who could easily kill you to keep a girl you barely know from going too far in her inquiries and getting herself hurt, and then go and save an injured animal. How many people would do that in a dark street at midnight? How many women would do that? Next to none, I'm willing to bet."

Miki nodded. "Thanks Robbie. How do you always know the right thing to say?"

"Who knows, Miki, who knows," Robbie murmured, before gently kissing her on the forehead and picking up the dog's corpse, leaving Miki to get what little sleep she could.

* * *

**Awk. Thanks for the reviews, my preciouses! Seriously, I was going to do this chapter in another month, but then I saw the 3 reviews I got today and I was like "Yeah… Okay, do it now."**

**I know, this chapter is terrible, I just read through it as I always do to look for mistakes, and I realised how rushed it is. No idea how to fix it, so I'll just apologize. Sorry!**

**Remember to nominate on my forum on the CR Awards!**

**The future evil queen of Norway xxx**


	12. Chapter 12

**Hey guys! Me again! I know, I've been ages, but I've had to deal with dog-training, confessions of undying love, my creepy guy biffle writing songs about me, my phone's camera not working, my D of E, this charity thing I do for a girl in Africa, my GCSEs and the fact that my life seems to be falling apart all around me. Cat's part was written by the wonderful Maudie Stirling! She has an epic grasp of how they spoke back then. Seriously, this girl needs recognition. Read everything she's written now! NO! NOT RIGHT NOW! I MEAN AFTER YOU READ THIS!**

**Absent minds – thank you for following this fic and dropping me a review. Your review – I just started laughing. Your impatience amuses me.**

**As always, don't forget the awards. Hit the forums and nominate, people!**

* * *

**Act III  
Scene 2 – An Infuriating Secret**

* * *

Mr Sheridan couldn't be found anywhere, though I must admit my heart wasn't into looking for him. What would I say if I did find him? Beg him to find Pedro? But from the posters it seemed that he no longer cared for my friend, only that if his replacement would be just as popular with the audience. A wave of disappointment washed though me, leaving me exhausted and confused. But I still had to get an explanation from Frank and Syd, so I trudged to Syd's shop. It was only when I turned the handle of the door that I remembered he was missing, but to my surprise, he was at the counter.

"Ah, there you are, Kitten!" he smiled, pulling out a chair.

"Don't you 'Kitten' me, Syd. Where's Frank?"

Syd looked surprised at my coolness. "I dunno, at Grosvenor Square or somethin'. I'll send one of me boys to find 'im, if ye like."

"Yes, please," I said shortly. Syd went out the back for a few minutes, and I heard instructions being passed. We sat in silence for some time.

"Where were you?" I ask suddenly.

"When?"

"Last week! Your shop was closed and everything."

"Ah." Syd looked uncomfortable. "A vacation. With me parents."

"To where? You've never been gone for that long apart from on your boxing tours."

"To … er … Brunswick Square. Dad's friend lives there."

"Without telling me?" I enjoyed his discomfort.

Syd fidgeted with his jacket. "It – we – I didn't have time."

He was saved from further interrogation by Frank, who arrived with a twinkle of bells on the door.

"Joe said you wanted to see me," he panted, flopping down on a seat.

"Yes. I demand an explanation about Pedro from you two."

Syd and Frank exchanged the tiniest of glances, but neither said anything.

"See, that's how I know you're guilty," I declared.

"Don't make it sound like we're criminals," Frank grimaced.

"So what did happen to him, then?"

There was another silence, which uncorked me.

"Don't you know how worried I've been? A moment he's back, and then he vanishes without a note or a hint. There are rumours that he's been killed, kidnapped, held in ransom, Sheridan seems to be hiding from me, and even two of my best friends won't tell me anything. Haven't I proved I can handle things?"

I stood up, and ran out of the shop. I heard chairs scrapping and my name being called, but I ignore it. My feet took me to an empty street, where I buried my face in my folded knees. Slowly, the red anger died away and I was just about to go back and apologize when I heard a familiar but dreaded voice.

"'Ow are ye, Kitten?"

I groaned. "Better when you weren't here." To my horror he sat down next to me on the curb, so I hurriedly got up.

"Aw, leavin' so soon? 'Ow about I walk ye 'ome?"

"Your kindness does you credit, Mr Shepherd, but I'm afraid I must decline. Anyway, I'm going to Syd's."

Billy wrinkled his nose at his enemy's name. "I'll never understand 'is attraction, Moggy. Ah well, I'll see ye around." And with a wink and a toothy grin showing all of his crooked, yellow teeth, he walked off. I wasted no time putting more distance between us.

Syd wasn't in his shop, but Frank was. "Goodness me, Cat, where've you been? Syd's still out looking for you, with the boys."

"I'm sorry I dashed off like that," I said.

"No, no, we should be the ones apologizing. Of course you can cope with things. Even more than some of us, at times."

I looked up at him. "Then you'll tell me where Pedro is?"

Frank exhaled and ran a hand through his dark, curly hair. "I'm sorry, but I can't, Cat."

"Why not? Pedro trusts me, you know he does!"

But Frank just closed his eyes wearily. Then, the door opened behind me and strong arms embraced me.

"Never do that again, Kitten."

I swatted him away. "I'm sorry for running away, but I still want to know what's happened to Pedro and why you can't tell me."

"But that's precisely it, Cat. We can't tell you," said Frank. I looked to Syd, but he shook his head.  
I stomped my foot in frustration, but neither of my friends softened.

"Fine," I snap. "But you'll promise to tell me if he's in danger?"

"Yes. Now, it's gettin' dark, so you two 'ad better go 'ome. Don't dwell on it too much, Cat."

Like that was possible. I knew I'd be thinking it through all night. Frank gently herded me out the door, and down the now not-so-busy streets.

"Come on, Rabbie'll be worried about you."

Of course! Rabbie! He was a member of the gang, wasn't he? Maybe I could persuade him to spy for me – though what he would ask for in exchange I couldn't imagine. I sighed, and walked towards the Avons' house where a delicious dinner and a warm bath called to me.

* * *

The cool, crisp air flowed around Miki. She stepped into puddles of moonlight, reflecting upon the way things used to be. Every time the moon pushed her into view, the lacerations against her skin became visible, along with a chuck of bone on her right forearm. It was bleeding profusely, but she didn't care. She had taken much more and survived. She knew she was a terrible worker – she often put things like this in front of her tasks and was known for her unpredictability – but she thought, for the poor dog's sake, that it was worth it. That man deserved it. She faintly remembered the feel of the fire poker against her skin, a knife flying out of nowhere, before she had her justice, and all was silent. The memory blended in with others quickly, however, until the individual details were gone.

When she reached their little house in Grosvenor Square, she slid in through the window. The door was trapped – opening it meant instant paralysation. Robbie took one look at her, and turned to get the bandages. He didn't say a word as he fixed her up, and she didn't make a sound when he pressed a brandy soaked cloth against her bloodied cheek. By this point, they were both used to it.

People often wondered why Robbie and Miki were so close. Robbie had never had any close friends – her preferred to stay by himself – but when he carried Miki into the Northern Irish HQ, things changed. He had often been referred to as an immovable object – he was set in his way and would never change – while Miki was more of an unstoppable force – constantly changing and moving, never staying in the same place. But of course, when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object, people think only one can win. Miki thinks differently. She knows both can, if things are done correctly.

"What's the plan?" Robbie whispered, even his low, quiet voice sounding like a yell in the silence of the night.

"My… Acquaintance, I might have been wrong trusting him. I have a bad feeling that something terrible is about to happen to her. She's going to need our help. She's going to need to know me – us. Both of us."

"Is there anything we can do for now?"

"No. We have to wait for him to strike. For now, all we can do is make sure everything else stays in check."

"Everything else?"

Miki threw her head back and laughed. It wasn't a laugh filled with humour – it was quite the opposite. It was cold, filled with danger.

"You don't seriously think we're here solely for her, do you?"

"Miki, what are you planning?" Robbie asked warily. This was the side of Miki he didn't like – the side capable of terrible things, horrendous things.

"There's a man here. He's the epitome of everything I hate – slavery, richness, everything. And to add the cherry tree on top, we've met before. He's done things no one can be proud of. He needs to be taught a lesson."

"Miki, don't you think you're going too far? Little things like the dog are fine, but do you really think it'll just be ignored if you go any further?"

"I really couldn't care less as to whether I go too far or not."

"You'll get kicked out."

Miki turned to face him, and looked him dead in the eye.

"Maybe I want to get kicked out, Robbie. Maybe I do."


	13. Chapter 13

**The great Maudie Stirling strikes again. We've agreed she'll do Cat's part for the rest of this fic and the little novella to follow, because my chapter management is terrible (that's not the reason for her doing Cat's part, that's the reason for the novella). Hence, updates will probably, hopefully, be more frequent, because Maudie isn't a lazy slacker like me. BUT, she seems to think her writing is terrible (I know, I don't understand either) so please leave her a message in the reviews, to tell her how great her writing is.**

**Ashura – you better. There're a hundred Pokemon fans out there slowly dying because they haven't got their fix of your writing. Do you want to be a manslaughterer (not a word, don't care)? Huh? HUH?**

**Absent – your comments always crack me up on so many levels that you'll probably never understand. I know they aren't supposed to be funny, but I'm so wonky you wouldn't believe.**

**Maudie – I'm not even going to dignify that with a response :P**

* * *

**Act III**

**Scene 3 – A Threat**

* * *

I tiptoed past Frank's room to the door of Rabbie's, and knocked.

"Who's there?" he grumbled.

"Only me, an axe-murderer," I replied. There was a pause, and then the door opened. My brother let me in.

"I thought they had a day off today?" he yawned sarcastically.

"You're special. Haven't I always told you that?"

Rabbie raised his eyebrows. "What do you want?"

I acted offended. "Do I need a reason to visit my favourite brother now?"

"I'm your only brother," he snorted.

Perfect. "You're not. Speaking of Pedro, do you know where he is?"

He lay down onto his bed. "No. He's probably at the theatre somewhere, or living with one of the boys."

"I don't think so. Are you sure?"

"Probably. Where else could he be?"

Where else indeed, I thought. "I asked Syd and Frank, but they wouldn't tell me. Will you –"

"Find out for you? I suppose … but for a price."

I groaned. "Name it. Just don't grin at me like that – you look like Billy Shepherd."

"I want the Crown Jewels!" Rabbie mimicked Billy's voice. "Nah. I don't have a cushion spare at the moment. I want …"

I sat down, bracing myself.

Rabbie looked thoughtful. "I don't know, actually. Maybe you can just owe me your service, for now."

I nodded, and made a dash for the door before he could change his mind. "Thanks!" I called over my shoulder, as an afterthought.

The next morning at breakfast, I smiled at Frank casually and acted to the best of my abilities that I had forgotten about Pedro. It would have been a piece of cake if Frank didn't know me so well.

"Will you pass the butter, please, Frank?" I asked him politely.

He handed it to me, eyeing me suspiciously. "I'm off to visit Syd after breakfast," he said.

"That's nice," I answered, spreading it on my toast. "Say hello to him from me. I'm going to …" I thought fast. "To see Mary."

Frank frowned. "Who's Mary?"

"My friend." I finished my toast, and got up. "Excuse me."

I walked out onto the streets, but of course I wasn't going to visit Mary, who I'd invented a minute ago. Instead, I walked toward the new theatre. I still hated every part of it, but maybe I could find Mr Sheridan this time. I went in through the back door, and got lost almost immediately.

There were doors everywhere, and the same high ceiling and white walls. I walked around, frantically trying to find any similarity. Finally, I buried my head in my hands hopelessly and held back tears. What's happened so that I can't find my way around my home? Mr Sheridan, I thought bitterly. Sheridan and his love for fame –

"Heavens, Cat, what are you doing here?"

I spun around at the familiar voice, to see the man I had been cursing a moment ago. "Getting wondrously lost," I replied tonelessly. He herded me around the corridors and into a small office, not unlike the one where he had broken the news of the renovation to me.

"Take a seat," he told me. "Make yourself at home." But I stood. This wasn't my home, and I wasn't about to pretend otherwise.

"So. What do you want to ask me?"

I didn't bother asking how he knew. "Where's Pedro?"

"Ah," he sighed. "Such a shame about the boy. His substitute can't do flips and tricks half as well and apparently has a fear of heights –"

"I feel for your loss," I said coolly. I couldn't believe the person who had become like a parent to me could be so cold. "But you haven't answered my question yet. Where is he?"

I might have imagined the flash of panic across Mr Sheridan's face, but ignoring that, he still didn't reply properly.

"He's been a lot of places, wouldn't you agree? It quite surprised me when he came back …"

I decided to change tack. "It's just that I miss him so much, sir, and I'd like to know where he is even if he's gone." I managed to squeeze a tear out, though he taught me that trick himself.

"Hmm, yes. Goodness, is that the time?" he checked his watch and made for the door.

"But, sir! You haven't told me where he is!" I tried to bar his way.

"What makes you think I know myself, child?" he muttered. "Now, I really must get going. Let yourself out, will you – down the corridor until the fruit picture, then turn left, then right twice, then left again and there you are. Good morning!"

And he hurried off before I could stop him. I bit my cheek in annoyance and go out before I forgot the directions.

I headed for the Avons' house for a little rest before confronting anyone else. My feelings boiled inside: frustration, despair and worry. I knew Frank and Syd would keep Pedro safe, but why couldn't they tell me anything? And I'd bet my last pennies that Mr Sheridan knew something about it too – it seemed that everyone was in it apart from me. I sighed wearily, but perhaps Rabbie had found some information for me. I pushed open the back door, and my fingers touched something that rustled. I looked up to see a crumpled piece of paper with scrawled lettering in capitals.

_Stop trying to find out more. I know what you are doing. Dig any deeper and your boy gets hurt._

A threat. From the people who had Pedro. I ripped it off the nail and shredded it, but that didn't take away my fear. A threat. To me – or, really, Pedro. I stumbled into the house with the last of my energy and burst into sobs.

* * *

Miki paced the floor of their dining room. It was going to need replaced soon.

"Lord Almighty, Robbie, what do we do?"

Robbie was currently in the process of eating an apple, so took a while to answer. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that psychopath has kidnapped her best friend and is now threatening him to get to her!"

"Well… Seeing as there's nothing we can do, then we wait. The girl won't back down, she'll get into trouble, we'll go save her. If all goes well, the boy'll be okay and she might not even know who we are."

"Since when have you been such an optimist?"

"Since when have you been such a pessimist?"

"Touché. But what if things go wrong? I don't mind her knowing about us, not if it keeps her safe, but what about the boy? I couldn't take it if he got hurt, Robbie, I just couldn't."

"Why not?"

"He's black. He used to be Hawkins' slave. He plays the violin; he's a brilliant performer… He has so much life left to live. He's had so much life taken away from him." Miki, by this point, was holding her head in her hands and profusely shaking it.

Robbie stood up, apple long forgotten, and pulled Miki into a hug. "Then we have to make sure he's going to be fine. Did you see your acquaintance actually nailing the note to the door?"

"No, it was one of his henchmen. But you know what I don't understand?"

"What?"

"Why the butcher and the rich boy haven't told her yet. And why the duke's servants never heard someone hammering the nail into the door."

"Well, they want to keep her safe obviously. She seems like the kind of girl to run head first into trouble without a thought for herself. Reminds me a lot of a certain someone," Robbie broke off to chuckle at Miki as she glared at him, having caught his hidden meaning, "and they were probably all busy. After all, if you had things to do and places to be, you wouldn't be paying attention to a bit of background noise. It was hammered onto the back door, remember, so no passers-by would've seen it, and the footman at the door wouldn't have heard it. How did you see it if it was at the back door, by the way?"

A sheepish grin appeared on Miki's face. "I was doing some… Reconnaissance."

"Sure you were. You definitely weren't spying on the rich boy, were you?"

"Of course I wasn't, sir!" Miki pretended to be horrified and outraged at the idea, her facial expression causing Robbie to start laughing uncontrollably. Soon enough, both were collapsed into chairs, gasping for breath.

"What were we talking about again?" Robbie asked.

"I have no idea," Miki replied, before winking, yet again sending them both into irrepressible laughing fits.


End file.
